Uganda@50

13th April to 18th April 2015

 

FOWODE E-NEWS  

 

FOWODE E-NEWS, P.O BOX 7176, Kampala Uganda | Plot 15 Vubya Close, Ntinda Nakawa Rd.

Email: fowode@fowode.org Web: www.fowode.org. Twitter @FOWODE_UGANDA

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Celebrating the gains of Women and Girls Empowerment

 

• CELEBRATING THE GAINS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS’ EMPOWERMENT • SHARPENING CIVIC ACTION MENTORS FOR VOTER EDUCATION

 

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Village Gender Governance group Exchange visit

Last week, the Village Governance Group from Rukungiri visited Kibuku district to learn best practices of how the Grassroots Gender and Local Accountability project is impacting the communities of Kibuku district.

The Village Budget Clubs (VBCs) work in Tirinyi Sub County on local accountability created impact due to the vigilance of the communities in ensuring that social services that are due to them are provided for, and address the needs of the poor. The duty bearers appreciate our intervention in the district. The Rukungiri VGCs visit to Kibuku demonstrated that the leaders at the district freely share budget information with the citizen’s.

While sharing experiences with the district technocrats, Mr. Moses Mwiraguzu, CDO and focal point person for FOWODE at district level showed how the VBCs and FOWODE have continued to track service delivery, the ability to give alternative budget concerns and which has helped the district to review FOWODE’s priorities for inclusive local government planning and budgeting. The VBCs and the citizen’s have always put us the leaders to task to explain and debate how public resources are allocated and utilized at community level, ensure quality in service provision and value for money in development concerns.

That an empowered woman is a tool for community development was a key lesson learnt during the exchange visit. Women’s enthusiasm to demand and defend their rights as development rights is now something Kalampete Village Budget Club has put on the agenda, helping fellow women who are affected by gender based violence in their communities. However, the community members decried the government current position to increase taxes on agricultural inputs and reduce budget allocation to health and education sectors, all these sectors affects us most the rural women.

As a result of FOWODE’s community sensitization on poverty alleviation in Tirinyi Sub County for example, the women informal groups organized themselves into savings and credit groups that continued to bring them together to think for common course but also economically empowering strategy for community wealth creation initiatives. For instance in Tirinyi Sub County, the community members formed Tugaite Women savings and credit group and also transformed Kalampete VBC in savings and credit group with 80% composition of women in both membership and management structure. In Kirika Sub County another FOWODE area of intervention, the community member was quoted saying “I really thank civic action mentors and FOWODE for empowering us in family wealth creation and now we are able to organize and form Nabiswa village savings and credit association”. The testimonies from the community members indicate that poverty alleviation is now concern of people who received knowledge on wealth creation in an effort create sustainable approaches but also uniting citizen’s during our civic education engagement trainings in the district. This is in one way enhances campaign on no vote buying and selling for real issues of development

Celebrating the gains of Women and Girls Empowerment  

Forum for Women in Democracy in partnership with GIZ Uganda held a very interactive dialogue at Hotel Africana in Kampala on 16 April. This dialogue was meant to celebrate the gains Ugandan women have made so far in empowerment of women and girls. The Ugandan and German governments continue to show commitment in achievement of MDG 3 Gender equality.

In her keynote speech, Celebrating gains for Women and girls in 30 years- in Uganda’s Health, education and agriculture sectors, Dr. Maggie Kigozi noted that Uganda and much of the world has plenty to celebrate; in politics- there are women Presidents, Vice Presidents, In Uganda we have a female Speaker in the August house, 22% Ministers, and 35% of Uganda’s MP’s are female. Strides have been taken in the academia, in the civil service, in the judiciary, among district leaders, in the Civil Society Organisations, business, and the media.

“Women now have role models that they can look up to Kazibwe, Kadaga, Musisi, Alaso, Clinton, Ellen Sirleaf, Thelma Awori, Sarah Ntiro, Graca Machel” said Maggie

Even with all these strides she acknowledges that there are still challenges; high rates of Maternal Mortality, Hospitals are in despicable condition, limited access to family planning, limited access to information, limted sectoral support, access to finance and limited access to foreign markets.

In the discussion, Florence Kata, former CEO of the Uganda Export Promotion Board, one of the panellists said that women need money in their pockets because most of the women will have an education but barely have finances therefore economic empowerment is key if women are to have impact.

Victoria Sekitoleko added that “We would wish to see banks headed by women because only one bank in Uganda, Uganda Development Bank, is headed by a woman”. She also said that Agriculture is a noble profession.

The young women were urged not to settle for less. They should set big goals and go for them.

From the discussion, it was clear that the men must not be left out. Women and men need to work together with children and youth to break down persistent gender stereotypes.

There was a lively discussion going on twitter with the hash tag #WG2015. To benefit from the discussion and more, please visit us on twitter @FOWODE_Uganda

 

In   consideration   of   the   electoral   processes   towards   the   2016   national   elections   in   Uganda,   Forum   for   Women   in  Democracy   re   oriented   50   of   her   civic   action  mentors   in   Voter   education.   Representative   of   7   districts   of   Uganda  including;   Gulu,   Kibuku,   Luweero,   Kibaale,   Rukungiri,   Kabale   and  Napak,   the  mentors   acquired   knowledge   in   voter  education;  enhanced  their  understanding  of  the  road  map  to  the  national  2016  elections;  with  specificity  on  citizens’  engagement  in  the  electoral  processes.  David,  Byakutaga,  the  facilitator  urged  the  mentors  to  engage  in  Parallel  Vote  Tabulation   (PVT)   as   a   tool   to   reinforce   public   confidence   in   the   election   process,   foster   election   integrity   and  contribute  to  election  peace.    

“We  need  to  address  the  issue  of  vote  rigging  squarely,  if  it  is  at  the  ballot  box  during  vote  counting  that  the  votes  are  stolen,   I   don’t   then   see   why   citizens   themselves   do   not   engage   in   Parallel   Vote   Tallying.”said   a   participant   from    Rukiga  Sub  County.    

Elaborations  on   integration  of  gender   in  voter  education  were  salient  to  enhancing  equal  participation  of  both  men  and  women  in  the  electoral  processes.  For  women,  unfortunately  the  current  level  of  participation  and  representation  in   politics   and   decision-­‐making   processes   is   still   not   satisfactory   as   they   are   consistently   left   out   in   the   electoral  process.  The  training  noted  that   inspite  of  women  enjoying  the  legal  right  to  participate  in  politics  and  the  decision-­‐making   process,   this   is   hampered   due   to   a   number   of   reasons   and   hence   there   is   a   dire   need   to   make   women  politically  relevant  in  Uganda  as  they  play  key  roles  such  as:  candidates,  voters,  political  party  members  or  supporters,  and  political  activists.  Since  women  have  different  needs  and  issues  of  concern  from  the  rest  of  the  population,   it   is  important  that  they  take  part  in  the  electoral  process  so  as  to  have  their  voices  heard.  The  mentors  were  advised  to  emphasise  the  need  for  citizens  to  vote  for  women  especially  those  that  plan  to  stand  for  directly  elected  seats  in  the  2016  elections.    

“  Citizens  should  be  encouraged  to  know  that  its  them  that  have  the  power  to  determine  who  comes  into  power,  a  man  or   a   woman,   so   if   the  women   support   and   vote   fellow  women,   then   their   views   could   be  more   aired   than   in   a  male  dominated  leadership”  Said  Fatuma  Kyomuhangi,  Lyantonde  district.  

Both   the   candidates   and   the   electorate   often   corrupt   elections.   The   Civic   action  mentors   discussed   the     “No   Vote  Buying,  No  Vote  selling  campaign”  aimed  at  mobilizing  members  of  the  public  and  those  intending  to  contest  in  the  2016  elections  to  shun  vote  buying  and  selling.  The  mentors  were  urged  to  encourage  citizens  to  vote  for  people  that  have   their   issues   at   heart   rather   than   those   that   convert   issues   into   voter   bribery   packages   of   sugar,   salt,   among  others.  Citizens  have  a  critical  role  to  play  in  preventing  commercialization  of  elections  that  makes  Ugandans  end  up  with  leaders  who  are  not  focused  on  national  issues  and  could  lead  the  nation  into  a  leadership  crisis.    

“We  need  to  combat  2  major  thoughts:  1.  Every  politician  thinks  that  you  must  have  money  to  buy  votes  and  win  an  election;  2.  Every  electorate  thinks  that  one  must  be  bought  to  cast  a  vote:  No  wonder,  politics  is  a  business  for  the  leaders  where  they  expect  to  earn  profits  from  the  money  they  spent  buying  votes  during  elections.”  Leanard  Okello,  Facilitator  Civic  Education,  emphasized.    

The  civic   action  mentors  were  advised   to  guard  against   3   fears   including:   Lack  of   information;  Dis-­‐information,   and  Mis-­‐information  and  take  personal  responsibility  for  the  leadership  of  the  country  as  they  pass  the  information  on  to  the  citizens.    

The  future  of  our  country  lies  in  our  hands,  and  the  women  really  need  to  get  on  board  and  suffocate  vote  buying  and  selling,  engage  effectively  in  the  electoral  processes  to  have  better  leadership  and  development  in  Uganda.  There  is  a  great  link  between  election  corruption  and  poor  service  delivery,  the  former  leads  to  the  latter,  so  let’s  jealously  guard  our  vote  and  cast  it  wisely.  For  the  women,  it’s  our  sole  duty  to  transform  this  country,  so  let’s  act  responsibly  for  the  National  Elections  2016.”  Said  Patricia  Munabi  Babiiha  in  her  closing  remarks.    

The   training  was  part  of   FOWODE’s   civic   education  programme,  which  has  been   rolled  out   this   year  with   focus  on  

voter   education   to   ensure   that   voters   are  well   informed,   ready,  willing,   and   can   effectively   exercise   their   rights   to  

participate  fully  in  the  election  processes.    

SHARPENING  CIVIC  ACTION  MENTORS  FOR  VOTER  EDUCATION    

Women in Govt offices are powerless – Matembe  

They have offices, some of them have once been appointed to the second highest office in the land but, according to Maria Matembe, a woman activist, these women are “powerless.” Citing her experience in Government as a minister and legislator, Matembe said that women cannot even stand their ground while debating key decisions. “When I was in parliament fighting against rape in marriage fellow women in parliament were telling me to step back and yet this was an issue affecting them as women and needed to be addressed,” she noted. Matembe was Thursday speaking during the National women’s dialogue organized by Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) at Hotel Africana. She attributed the women’s powerlessness to an unfavorable political environment. "The political environment in Uganda now is manifested by corruption and deceit making it difficult for women to transform it, as a result, they have conformed to it," Matembe said.

See more: http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/667131-women-in-govt-offices-are-powerless-matembe.html

Women Undress Before Migereko, Gen Aronda

The scene at a disputed area in Apaa parish where a mark stone was to be erected to demarcate the boundary between Amuru and Adjumani districts turned ugly on Thursday when women protesters undressed before minister for Lands Daudi Migereko and Internal Affairs minister Gen Aronda Nyakairima who had visited the contested land. Hundreds of residents of Apaa in Pabbo Sub-county in Amuru district sombrely waited for the ministers until about 3pm when the latter arrived. The duo arrived at the sight of naked elderly women sitting on Apaa junction and yelling out traditional slogans condemning the boundary demarcations. The women said the demarcation is a move to push them out of their ancestral land.

See more: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Women--undress---Migereko-Gen-Aronda/-/688334/2689156/-/a43gy2/-/index.html  

How a tribal king sparked deadly violence in South Africa

Over the past week, at least five immigrants have been killed following clashes with xenophobic mobs in the major South African cities of Durban and Johannesburg. Fears of further tensions and violence are growing, with thousands of foreigners seeking shelter at police stations, temporary camps and even a soccer stadium. Others formed machete-wielding vigilante squads, aimed at defending their turf. South African President Jacob Zuma appealed for calm in an address to Parliament on Thursday."The attacks violate all the values that South Africa embodies, especially the respect for human life, human right," he said. "No amount of frustration or anger can justify the attacks."

 

See more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/04/17/how-a-tribal-king-sparked-deadly-violence-in-south-africa/?postshare=4221429290657524

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P. o Box 7176, Kampala, UgandaPlot 15, Vubya Close, Ntinda Nakawa

Blog: fowode.blogspot.com Web: www.fowode.org Twitter @FOWODE_Uganda Facebook: http://facebook.com/Forumforwomenindemocracy